Improvement in processes of galvanizing metals



O. B. MILLER. comma METALS.

Patenhed May 30, 1854.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' CHRISTIAN MILLER, or

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 10,976, dated May 301854.

1'0 all whom it may cdncern.-'

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN B. MILLER, of Wilmington, in the county ofNew Castle and State of Delaware, have invented and made certain new anduseful Improvements in-the Processor Method of Galvanizing or CoatingMetals with Metals; andI do hereby declare that the following afull,clear, and

exact description of the method of construc tion and mode of operatingthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, andmaking apart of thisspecification, in 'whi ch-- Figure 1 is a perspective viewof the whole apparatus complete, showing the platform or groundwork w ww, the framing and keys 2 eye .2 y yy. 1;, the smoke-flues e e, andchim- '-n'ey s'taek;fff to the furnace'A A; B B 0 0, the tanks .mountedon casters or wheels; is la It k k, thegailings or connectingfimbers,used alsoas resting-bars, for the cylinder D; 'No. 1, vat of sulphuricacid and water; No. 2, vat

- of sand and water; No. 3, rinsing-tub of pure water; No.4,-dippingbath containing water, copper, and lead; No. 5, thedrying-chamber; No. 6, caldron or cruset; g, a side door or hot-air ventto the furnace; hh h, sliding or detachable divisions; -Z Z, blocks, andtackle o 0 o o, pulleys m. m, and rollers 11 n, working on the beams orways R R RR, on which the reticulated cylinder D and a similar one to beused are shifted or moved from place toplace; 8, the stay or connectingrod.-

Fig. 2 is a reverse view of thefurnaceA A,

showing the firegratingc and doorsb b, with Fig. 3 is the long portablecaldron or cruset forcoating large sheets or masses of metal; Fig. 4,the cover thereof.

Fig. 5 is the long cylinder used in coating large masses of metal orsheets, a abeing the hinged door thereof.

Fig. 6 is the top to small caldron or cruset Toenable others to beskilled in the use, and

.lapplication of my invention and improvements, I will proceed todescribe the construction and operation thereof, the nature andprinciples of which consist in coating or galvan= izing the hardermetals by a process or method .of rotary dipping orimmersion in moltenvolu mes of the softer fusible metals---such as zinc,

' tin, lead, or their various combinations the result being moreeffectually produced by the aid of chemical agents and mixtures used,together with peculiar mechanical apparatus described as follows, viz:

I construct a furnace AA, and'fire-flues e e, and chimney or'smoke-stack f f f, Figs. 1 and 2, having fire-gratings 0, doors I) b,ashpits cl d, and a-hot-air ventg g, Figs. 1 and 2. This furnace may bebuilt of stone or brick, or other suitable fire-proof material, and ofrequired dimensions and durability, surrounded by suflicient groundworkor a plat: form 10 w w. A substantial frame-work is next constructed,and may be put together as'shown .in Fig. 1-, or in any desired manneror form of construction, observing though that'this framing must havetwo stout longitudinal beams or pieces of timber R R R R,

and answering as ways for the rollers 11. n, by which means the cylinderis shifted or moved from vat and tub, to the caldron or 'cruset. Thecylinders D, Figs.- 1 and 5, are made. of suitable wire-cloth orretic'ulatedmetal and formed with rods or bolts with two sets ofscrew-taps 1:1) 0 -v on each end, by which the rods fbcing detachableand acting as a fastening-bar. Through these cylinders runs an axis 7' rr, having formed at each end crank- 'holding the axles of the preparingand coat ing cylinders D and Fig. 6 and to aidin the revolving of saidcylinders in coating.

Having completed the apparatus, the process or operation'of' preparingand coating proceeds as follows: Thefurnace A A being fired andattaining the required degree of for the purpose of supporting thecylinder D,

end plates or disks a; mare kept'in place; The cylinders D and Fig. 6have doors, which are kept closed, when required, by one of thehandles,'as shown: in the diagrams, and which have rest-places oraxle-bearings q q qq formed intheir top edges for the purpose of r heatmerely sufficiently to melf'the zinc, which is kept in a proper state offusion (care being observed that the melted mass is not permitted toscorch or burn, which care and a little experience and use of apyrometer or thermometer will establish) while the zinc is being fusedthe articles to be coated or zincked are placed in the preparingcylinderv D, and being suspended by the block-and-tackle fixtures, asshown in Fig. 1, are loweredand deposited in the vat No. 1 or thedecapage bath, in which is; a solution of sulphuric acid and watersufficientl-y strong merely to detach the oxidation or .othersuperfluous matter. -While in this bath the cylinder is revolved bymanual power, by which revolution or motion the articles are cleaned ofall extraneous'particles; but in order to render the decapage morecomplete the cylinder D is shifted along on the railway-beams R RR Randdeposited in the scouring-vat No. 2, containing sand and water, andagitated therein a few minutes also, this finallycom-.

pletingv the decapage. After this the cylinder Dis removed to therinsing-tub No. 3, containing simply pure water, in which the cylinderis revolved repeatedly for a few minutes. inder D' and deposited in asimilar one,'called the coating-cylinder, which is suspended by thetackle apparatus and deposited in the dipping-bath No. 4,containingwater and copper and lead clippings or particles, covering thebottom of the bath 4.. While in this bath.

the cylinder is agitated or revolved repeatedly for several minutes,(say five or ten,) which dipping, owing to the galvanic action producedby the copper, lead, and water, acts as more, observing that during thetime of cojating the cruset must be covered with thetop or cap, Fig. 6.The required timebeing given for coating, the cylinder is slowlywithdrawn, revolving it at the same time, and after being withdrawn thearticles coated are thrown into warm or tepid water and permitted tocool gradually In the preparation and coating of large massive articlesor long sheets of metal large and long cylinders, like Fig. 5, are'to beused, and the diaphragm-divisions h h are tobe detached, forming thelong vats and tubs, having a sufficient number of them, as required 5also, long or parallel ogrammic crusets or melting-caldrons and covers,Figs. 3 and 4, are used, and in the drying operation the long cylindersare swung on cranes or beams Then the articles are taken out of cyl- 01-their equivalents and subjected to the drying agency of the furnace byopening the hot-air yent or escape g, Fig. 1, instead of suspending thecylinders immediately over the furnace.

By my'improved process or system many great advantages are attained:first, cheapness and dispatch secondly, great economy of labor and asaving in the amount of' zinc used; thirdly, lessdanger and injuriouseffects to the health of the persons employed; fourthly, greatdurability of coating and uni= formity or equality of coating, the metalabsorbing in its pores the coating, forming a solid combination, notbeing merely asuperficial film or temporary covering, as is'the resultof 'the modes heretofore resorted to in galvaniz-' ing metals, fifthly,the detaching or separating of the several pieces is readily accom-.plished, and entirely dispensing with manip-' ulation or handseparating,the pieces not sticking or running together; sixthl'y, by the use of therotary-cylindrical preparing and coating devices a pure deposit of zincis produced, for the cylinders act as strainers and purifiers, owing totheir reticulated principle, of construction, and thus is dispensed withthe injurious operation of hand dipping .or skimming, this cylinderacting as a mechanicalrotary skimmer, by which the fused metal is freedof the impurities or dross, which cannot beaccomplished byhand-skimming; sevefithly, it has been practically dem- ..onstrated thatby my process two persons can do more in a given time than-six personscan possibly accomplishby any other mode heretofore known. I, Again,too, less than onehalftheeost is required that is attendant upon anyother method.

My process is also admirably adapted to the effectual, durable, andcheap coating of cannon and balls, shells, anchors, and'chain cables,and sheathing and other metallic articles used in naval architecture andfor maritime purposes, wherein the articles are liable to atmosphericoxidation or aqueous salinous corrosive action.

Having given a plain and comprehensible description and explanation ofmy improved process of galvauization or coating of metals, the sameprocess or method being applicable to the coating with tin, lead, andcopper, now what I claim as new and original with myself, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows, viz:

The construction and application of the rotary reticulated immersingcylinders or receptacles D and Fig. 5 and the use. thereof incombination with the melting and drying vapparatus'A A A anddiaphragm-tanks B B O C, for the purpose of rotary dipping,substantially as described, and operated as set forth, for thegalvanizing of metals.

CHRISTIAN B. MILLER. WitneSsesz.

SAML. GRUBB, JOHN S. GALLAI-IER, J r.

